Supplier to heroin dealers busted in major raid

By Anya Tikka
PORT JERVIS — Early Monday morning the Port Jervis Police, working with Orange County Sheriff’s Special Operations Office, made a huge drug bust in at the Sutton Garden Apartments, where 886 decks of heroin, some cocaine, and prescription drugs were found.

The illicit trade is worth about $750,000 per year, with a $500,000 profit, according to city officials.

Sutton Garden is located on Ryan Street in Port Jervis.

Darren Biccum, 34, and Carolee Ruzanski, 27, were arrested and arraigned in Port Jervis City Court. They remain in Orange County Jail on $50,000 bail.

The bust was possibly the biggest in the city’s history and will have a significant impact on surrounding areas, including Pennsylvania, police Chief William Worden said in a statement.

Port Jervis detectives had conducted an undercover investigation over the past six weeks into the illicit sales of heroin.

The arrested pair was allegedly selling large quantities of heroin — about 20 to 30 bricks of heroin per week — for redistribution by other dealers. Typically, a “brick” consists of 50 individual bags, Worden said.

Worden said the two accused obtained the drugs from a source in Pennsylvania, but provided no exact location. Paterson, N.J., is another source, he said.

Ruzanski faces the following charges:

Two counts of Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree

One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd degree with intent to sell

Five counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree

Biccum’s charges are as follows:

One count of Criminal Possession of Controlled Substance in the 3rd degree

One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Degree with intent to sell

Five counts of Criminal Possession of a controlled substance in the 7th degree

City officials, including Mayor Kelly Decker and Chief Worden, have vowed to go after drug dealers until the city is cleaned up and the guilty are locked up.